Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Mohd Daud is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Dyana Sofya. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.

Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud
Dyana Sofya in 2018
Personal details
Born	Dyana Sofya binti Mohd Daud (1987-12-29) 29 December 1987 (age 37) Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia[1]
Political party	Democratic Action Party (DAP) (2012–present)
Other political affiliations	Pakatan Rakyat (PR) (2012–2015) Pakatan Harapan (2015–present)
Spouse	Zairil Khir Johari ​ (m. 2018)​
Alma mater	Universiti Teknologi MARA, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
Occupation	Political secretary, lawyer

Dyana Sofya binti Mohd Daud (born 29 December 1987) is a Malaysian lawyer and politician. She is the former political secretary to Democratic Action Party (DAP) veteran leader and Member of Parliament Lim Kit Siang. Dyana is also a columnist for The Malay Mail Online^[2] and Sinar Harian, a national Malay-language daily. She has also written a book called Di Sini Bermula (An Earthly Beginning) which contains her compilation of her articles written for The Malay Mail Online.^[3] Following her return from the UK in 2016, Dyana became a partner in Ayub & Co, a legal firm based in Shah Alam, Selangor. She is now a partner in Zharif Nizamuddin. ^[4]

Education

Dyana obtained her Bachelor of Law (Hons) (LLB) degree from UiTM.^[1][5] She was admitted to the Malaysian Bar in 2011.

Dyana completed her postgraduate studies at School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London,^[6] where she obtained a Master of Arts with merit in international studies and diplomacy.

Political career

Entry into politics

In January 2012, Dyana joined Democratic Action Party and she was subsequently elected into DAP Perak Youth Wing's executive committee. She was then appointed political secretary to DAP Parliamentary Leader Lim Kit Siang,^[7] and played an active role during the 13th Malaysian general election campaigning for Lim Kit Siang for the parliamentary seat of Gelang Patah, Johor. She subsequently vacated her post as political secretary when she left to pursue her postgraduate studies in London in September 2015.

2014 Teluk Intan by-election

Following the vacancy of Telok Intan parliamentary seat due to the death of its member of parliament, Seah Leong Peng, Dyana was nominated as the DAP candidate for the 2014 Telok Intan by-election where her victory would have allowed her to become the first ever female Malay Member of Parliament for the DAP.^[8] However, she lost by a narrow margin to a veteran politician, Mah Siew Keong in the by-election.^[9]

Post 2014 Teluk Intan by-election

After her defeat, Dyana remained in Teluk Intan acting in the capacity of Chairman of DAP Teluk Intan Community Center, operating the community service centre with the state assemblyman for Pasir Bedamar, Terence Naidu.^[10] She was also appointed as DAP Perak state committee member and executive committee in National DAP Youth wing.^[11]

During this time, she initiated the Teluk Intan Colour Run, the first event of its kind in Teluk Intan which has become an annual landmark attracting 800-1000 participants yearly. According to Dyana, the run is meant is to celebrate diversity, where "no matter what our colour... we are all headed towards the same finishing line."^[12]

In 2015, Dyana was also responsible for launching a RM10 donation drive to raise funds for a new fishermen's jetty at Kampung Esso ^[13] Following the campaign's success, she launched a similar donation drive for a fishermen's jetty at Kampung Belakang Kilang Padi on the Perak River.^[14]

Personal life

Dyana is married to Zairil Khir Johari, a Malaysian politician and current Penang State Executive Councillor.^[15]

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia^[16]

Year	Constituency	Candidate		Votes	Pct	Opponent(s)		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
2014	P076 Telok Intan		Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud (DAP)	19,919	49.70%		Mah Siew Keong (Gerakan)	20,157	50.30%	40,668	238	67.39%

Accolades and recognition

In 2015, Dyana was selected by the United States Department of State to participate in the International Visitor Leadership Program, a premier professional exchange programme that allows current and emerging foreign leaders to visit the United States to develop networks with their American counterparts. Later in the year, Dyana was selected by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to participate in the Australia-Malaysia Muslim Exchange Programme.

In 2015, Dyana was featured by Marie Claire magazine as a leading Malaysian female personality in support of Marie Claire's Wake Up to a Good Cause campaign.^[17] The campaign seeks to support Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) in highlighted abuse against women.

References

1. "Factbook: Dyana Sofya". Retrieved 5 June 2014.
2. "Opinion - Dyana Sofya". The Malay Mail Online.
3. "Mah will be minister, front door or back". Malaysiakini. 29 May 2014.
4. "Zharif Nizamuddin".
5. "Born in UMNO family". Retrieved 5 June 2014.
6. "Ipoh Echo | from Campaigning to Campus". November 2015.
7. "Even a young female Malay can make it in DAP". 20 May 2014.
8. "Dyana is DAP's Teluk Intan girl, Superman says uphill battle for her". The Rakyat Post. 17 May 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014.
9. "Gerakan claims victory". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
10. "Larian Warna Impian Malaysia berjaya, tarik penyertaan anak muda". Roketkini. 16 September 2014.
11. G. Surach (19 April 2015). "Dyana tells Isma to stop making unfounded accusations". The Rakyat Post. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
12. "Ayuh sertai larian 'Colour Run' DAP Teluk Intan 16 Sept". 21 August 2014.
13. "Nelayan Teluk Intan tiada jeti, DAP lancar kutipan RM10". 3 November 2015.
14. "Rayuan derma bina jeti nelayan di Kg Belakang Kilang Padi". 18 April 2017.
15. "Zairil, Dyana tie the knot | New Straits Times". 9 December 2018.
16. Bin Haji Ahmad, Dato' Haji Ibrahim (31 May 2014). "Keputusan PRK P076 Teluk Intan" (PDF). Suruhanjaya Pilihan Rakyat Malaysia.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
17. "Marie Claire's Wake up to a Good Cause - Marie Claire Malaysia". Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2017.

Further reading

• Dyana Sofya: From UMNO supporter roots to DAP rising star